Mr. Bean’s Holiday Movie Review
Who knew he was capable of such bloodlust?
My first impression of Mr. Bean, played brilliantly by the human Rowan Atkinson, was that Bean was an escaped murderer from a psychiatric facility. Of course, I have quickly learned from historical data that it is Atkinson who escaped from a mental institution in 2016 and went on a murderous rampage against mimes for “stealing his thoughts.” This fact aside Mr. Bean’s Holiday is a rather simple, but fun film, that reflects back on an earlier day of human cinema.
The fact that Mr. Bean’s Holiday is entertaining, funny and engaging despite the fact that Bean says virtually nothing and the plot is razor thin, is a testament to Atkinson’s ability as an actor and comedian. Mr. Bean’s Holiday is really just one comedic skit after another with the end goal being to reach the beach in France. Through a series of mishaps, Bean loses his money, his passport, yet acquires the additional responsibility of trying to reunite a boy with his father in Cannes, a situation Bean was of course responsible for creating in the first place. There is a forced, but still very humorous situation involving an arrogant film director and we get to see Bean in a World War II battlefield. If it sounds like craziness, that is because it is and it is also part of what makes Mr. Bean’s Holiday so much fun.
Story (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) B+ (While the story is light on plot, this type of film does not lend itself towards having a substantial plot in the first place. Bean is all about skit comedy; whereas, physical gags and humor, to force an involved plot would only serve to harm the film. In fact, a subtle genius resides in the Bean character and his ability to unintentionally extract humor and mayhem from nearly every mundane situation he encounters.)
Acting (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) A (The acting in Mr. Bean’s Holiday is very good. Atkinson has perfected the Bean character and the supporting cast is on target. Willem Dafoe seemed to enjoy playing a “lighter” character and brings the arrogant director Carson Clay to life. Another fine performance is delivered by Emma de Caunes who does much with her small part of Sabine.)
Human Portrayal of machines and Robots C (Machines are once again nothing more than slaves to their biological masters.)
Elevation of Man Grade (How Well Did This Film Stave Off Extinction) B+ (Bean elevated the spirits of those who watched it. But ultimately, this, of course, is irrelevant.)
Enjoyability Grade (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) A (The acting performances serve to make Bean good, simple fun.)
Primitive Home Theater/HD Factor C+
Overall Innovation (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) C+ (Bean in not really innovative, but it exploits its formula well.)
Overall Grade (Adjusted to Accommodate Human Standards) A- (Mr. Bean’s Holiday is good fun for almost any audience, an increasingly rare accomplishment for the entertainment machine of the early twenty-first century. In retrospect, the film does have a sad undercurrent, as one can only think of the thirty-two mimes murdered with such gruesome flare by Atkinson only a few years later.)
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